Daughter's anguish over lost mobile (From York Press)

Daughter's anguish over lost mobile

9:49am Wednesday 14th March 2007 in News By Haydn Lewis, haydn.lewis@thepress.co.uk

A DAUGHTER fears treasured images of the last time she saw her father alive could be lost forever.

Practice nurse Erica Brown lost her mobile phone getting into a taxi after a night class in York city centre and, along with it, treasured video footage of her dad, John Day, taken in hospital days before he died.

Now she desperately wants to be reunited with her phone, a black Samsung D500.

"I just want it back. I don't care about the phone, I can replace that, but the footage of my dad is irreplaceable," said Erica.

"I used to play that back and it was like my dad was still here. I really miss him. He was such a wonderful family man. He lived for his family.

"I can't explain the loss properly, but I feel like crying every time I think about it, and kick myself for not making a copy somewhere."

Mrs Brown, who has two grown-up children and lives in Fulford, had been at a class in King's Manor, York, last Wednesday night.

She had pre-booked a taxi and was in Exhibition Square at about 9.30pm.

Her taxi had not arrived, so she used her mobile to phone the company to see where it was, but at this point the taxi arrived so she put her phone back into her pocket before getting in the back of the cab.

In the back of the cab, she checked her pocket and realised the phone was missing, but it was dark and she assumed she must have put it in her bag.

On getting home, she turned her bag out only to find the phone was missing.

Mrs Brown phoned the taxi firm, but no phone had been handed in and the driver checked his car, but the phone was not found.

Mrs Brown's dad died in May Day Hospital, Croydon, on July 11 last year, aged 84.

He had been taken into hospital in May with heart trouble and had caught an infection while there. Mrs Brown had taken time off work to be at her father's bedside.

During that time, she took video footage on her phone of precious time spent with her dad.

Mrs Brown left London and travelled back to York to return to work, believing her father to be in recovery, but two days later he died after suffering a pulmonary embolism.

Also on the phone are audio messages from her dad and video footage of the family's beloved dog, Bobby, a black and white miniature Border Collie, which died eight weeks after Mr Day.

If anyone thinks they might have the phone or know of its whereabouts, phone Haydn Lewis at The Press on 01904 653051, ext 310.